Total Thyroidectomy as the Treatment of Bilateral Thyroid Benign Nodules that Require Surgery

PURPOSE: A total thyroidectomy for the treatment of bilateral thyroid benign nodules is still controversial. This study prospectively compared the prognosis and complications of a total thyroidectomy with those after a subtotal thyroidectomy. METHODS: Between September 2003 and October 2006, a total of 110 consecutive patients with bilateral thyroid benign nodules underwent either a total (n=77) or subtotal thyroidectomy (n=33). Temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism, temporary or permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, operation time, the length of hospital stay, postoperative thyroxine dosage in both operation groups were compared. In addition, the detection rate of a malignancy through a permanent biopsy was examined. RESULTS: There was a higher rate of temporary hypoparathyroidism, longer length of hospital stay and higher thyroxine dosage needed in the total thyroidectomy group than in the subtotal thyroidectomy group. There were no significant differences in the permanent hypoparathyroidism, temporary or permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and operation time between the two groups. The histopathological diagnosis was a malignant tumor in 13 patients. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a total thyroidecotmy can be performed without increasing risk of complications. A total thyroidectomy avoids recurrent nodules for the removal of the whole thyroid tissue, which avoids the need for secondary surgery with an increased risk of complications when compared with primary thyroid surgery. A total thyroidecotmy is considered the first choice for the management of bilateral thyroid benign nodules.

Immune Reaction of the Vaccinated Hamsters with Combined Hantaan-Puumala Vaccine

A large number of viruses belonging to Genus Hantavirus in Family Bunyaviridae are etiologic agents for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantaan (HTN), Seoul (SEO), Belgrade (BEL), Puumala (PUU) serotype viruses are well known causative agents for HFRS in Eurasian continent. Among those viruses Hantaan and Seoul serotypes are well known to cause HFRS in Korea, but there are some sporadic incidence by other than Hantaan or Seoul viruses. Recently we have developed the combined Hantaan-Puumala virus vaccine to prevent world-wide occurring HFRS. This combined vaccine is formalin inactivated, suckling mouse and suckling hamster brain extracts for Hantaan and Puumala viruses, respectively. Protein contents of this purified candidate vaccine is 27 microgram/ml, which contains 1,024 ELISA antigen units to each virus, but content of myelin basic protein which is causing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis is legs than 0.1 ng/ml. Thirty hamsters were given twice at one month interval intra-muscularly and bled on 30 days after each vaccination from retro-orbital sinus vein. Antibody titers were tested against 5 major serotype viruses, Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses by IFA and PRNT. The mean IF antibody titers on 30 days after primary shot were 78.4, 68.8, 68.8, 37.9, and 15.6; mean neutralizing antibody titers were 65.4, 12, 6.1, 65.6 and 0.5 against Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses, respectively. The mean IF antibody titers on 30 days after booster shot were 686.9, 567.5, 550.4, 516.3, and 430.9; and neutralizing antibody titers were 710.8, 41.9, 24.3, 409.9, and 1.6 against Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses, respectively.